What to do with Adams?

I had to miss my first game of the season today, and despite the fact that we got spanked 4-1 by West Ham am I 'glad' that I missed it? Nope, of course not, even though we once again capitulated...

I have not been 'switched off' to the problems that we have had, nor have I been 'ignoring them' in the hope they would go away, I have just had 'faith' these wrongs would be put right - but today finally pushed me to the point where I am 'genuinely worried' for our future as we are in freefall at the moment. Most seasons a team does this, they fall from grace to be embroiled in a relegation battle, if they do not get relegated in fact. I now genuinely fear that we 'might' be that side. I also fear that we do not actually have that many players that seem as though they would be 'up' for a relegation battle.

The thoughts that I had were, not that we were 'too good to go down', but we had too many good players who would 'get it right', but it does not look as though they will.

Calls for the head of Tony Adams have not gone 'unnoticed' by myself in recent weeks, but I have had complete backing of the fella - but the calls for his head were so loud and so frequent it was hard to ignore them today - just about every call or text that came into The Quay was calling for his head, although no doubt these were the same people calling for him to be given the job back along! We are fickle like that...

That said, maybe they do actually have a point, maybe we do need to get rid of him before it is too late?

I made no secret of my thoughts that he lacks experience, we all knew this, but have also made no secret of my support for him and how this would carry on. Maybe my support has, and will continue to be more so as I so desperately want it to be the case - but maybe this is misplaced, maybe it is time for me to concede that he cannot do the job that we want/need him to do?

Lets not put this all down to his doing though, as lets not let the FA cup win fool us too much - things were not completely 'rosy' under Harry Redknapp, but how can basically the same players that he had be so indifferent now? Can Adams not motivate the players? Yep they should not need that much motivating as they get paid enough and all that, but I guess they do need the guidance and motivation from someone.

But why can Adams not get them going? It is not like he does not know them - maybe it is because they know him too well! He has gone from being their 'mate', when he was the assistant to being their 'boss', now he is the manager. He might have been the one they went to, but cannot go to him as freely now due to his change of role, he is 'no longer' one of the boys... Maybe he is not commanding the respect enough because of this; maybe he does not know how to command it?

It is easy to point the finger at the manager, but as said plenty of times the players also need to look at themselves, but Adams has made some shockingly poor 'tactical changes' during his time as manager, and the changes that he again made today did little to help our course. Glen Little at least offered us the right level of balance, and looked our best chance of actually creating something. Whilst taking Jermain Defoe off was not a bad thing bringing on Kanu when you are chasing a game at 3-1 down surely cannot be the right thing to do - chasing does not come into the old mans train of thought... The players go out onto the pitch and 'should' put in the graft as they play for 'the club' as this is what pays their wages, but if they do not, or cannot, play for the manager they wont - right or wrong...

I hate this 'sack quickly' style in football, but we are slipping the wrong way, and with Arsenal coming up next and of course January and the transfer window do we stick with Adams, and back him with money, which could in itself be a dangerous thing, or replace him with someone more experienced - at least bring in someone with experience to work alongside him, or above him?

What has happened to our defence? Yep they are not getting the shielding from the midfield that they got last season but simple errors, and basic mistakes are costing us dearly. You win and lose as a team, and should defend as a team, but one fella that sticks out like a sore thumb is Sol Campbell. He has been a fantastic footballer but he is well past it, and the longer he stays in the side the worse we seem to get - even his 'organisational skills' have gone. His fundamental errors played into West Ham's hands today, and his constant berating of young Marc Wilson was easy for him to do, but he was the one leaving the kid with two on one so often...

It is a tough, tough call to make - but we really are approaching a 'make or break' phase of not only the season, but the longer-term future of the club as it stands. In the next few weeks our season could be in tatters, we 'might` be out of the FA cup and deep, deep in a relegation battle, if we lose this battle, troubled waters lay ahead.

I do not want this to be the case, but maybe removing Adams is something that we need to do?

I am not saying I want this, but I must admit that I would be lying if I did not admit that these thoughts have crept into my head for the first time - I worry that as much as I want him to be the man for us, chances are he is not, his lack of experience and his tactical unawareness, and quite possibly not having the command of the dressing room is leaving us in trouble?

I keep saying the players need to give more, and need to be held equally, well actually I have said more so, accountable for our current plight - but is it because Adams is the manager and is not up to this job that they look so poor? Either way, like him or not the players surely owe us and the club 100% commitment and effort - and they are not giving that. Surely it cannot be all down to him, but he is the one that 'will' cop the flack, as he now is! Should we stick by him, or would this be a mistake going into the transfer window. Still I want to say 'stick with him', but I am for the first time genuinely concerned and have reservations - but would anyone else coming in change the 'attitude' of the players?

Comments

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I've been one of those saying the guy has to be given time, and logic still says he does, but . . I'm beginning to say it through gritted teeth with my fingers crossed behind my back, and kind of hoping the decision will be taken anyway. It is a tough call, and we shouldn't panic, but you start to wonder where it will end if something isn't done. When players like Defoe can't hit a barn door with a banjo then something is wrong, and its easy to blame the players, but when its all the players, top quality players at that, then you have to wonder if its something else. Whats the easier fix, get rid of one man, or get rid of all our stars and start again? I don't like saying this, because I've been behind Tony from the start, and I still hope it will come right, but will it, really? Otherwise I may have to ask for our new half season tickets in the Fratton End to be swopped for those awful restricted view seats we had for the ManU home game !!!!

Sounds to me like a lot of players believe they won't be playing for Portsmouth much longer - Redknapp motivated them, Tony doesn't seem to. Tony only wants players who will play for him - does that mean he will sell 8 players in the window and then buy 8 replacements? I would be surprised if the 8 replacements would settle in, even if they were good players, in time for us to stay up? And buying players in the January sales is really tough so I think we may end up with Spurs rejects or something similar - yes I'm worried and have been looking at the gap between us and the relegation zone ever since Harry left.....

It's been documented on my doom mongering. TA ain't up to it. We need an experienced head. Not helped by Sasha's 'I want to sell'. It's a rudderless ship with a hole in it. The waters coming in & the big rats want to get off.

I don't really understand why people say we're falling or we've lost our way. Anyone who watched the second of half of last season saw us playing badly. Anyone who watched the games against Chelsea and Man City early this year saw us playing really badly. A good run and a bit of luck in the Cup, plus some good early season form flattered us last year. We aren't very good at the moment, it's true. We weren't very good for large chunks of last year either. Sack Tony if you must, but I don't believe it addresses the problem.

Sack him hes a great bloke and well respected throughout the game but the pompey job certainly dont suit him.Adams is best at championship level.I always reckon we need a movatator and an experienced guy for this club but with adams in charge we will be facing a relegation fight.I certainly dont want to go down to the championship and win that (6 points against scum) then come back up.we should be challenging the everton , villas for that uefa cup spot.Sasha has to get an experienced guy in as another coach or manager because adams is laking it and its starting to show.I WANT ADAMS OUT SAY I WANT ADAMS OUT !!!!!!!

I was never confident of his appointment but backed the club as it seemed wise to follow up Harry with his assistant. However Adams seems to be all over the show and he lacks the real character we need to kick-start our season. In Adams' favour the uncertain future of the club is playing against him and Harry's efforts in the transfer market this summer left the club with a patchwork quilt of a squad, never addressing the real issues like a right winger, another genuine striker and a replacement for Sol. Defoe has looked half the player he was under Harry, our central midfield is a depleted joke and Niko is not the kind of player we need when our backs are against the wall. It seems such a shame that after taking a couple of steps forward we seem to have jumped ten back. I have always worried this could happen, it's now up to Sacha + Peter Storrie to steady the ship and make the necessary changes to make the club a valuable prospect for a buyer.

Sack him? What utter *********! If the next guy doesn't win in six matches are you going to call for his head too! Jeeezus, we had a run of luck under Harry when playing especially badly and we got away with it. The world has gone mad.

The problem is, the transfer window is almost upon us, a decision has to be taken now or not at all. Yes we have been playing badly for a while, which is inexplicable given the quality of players we have now - but losing at home to teams at the wrong end of the table, and conceding so many goals? And the team don't look like they could win a raffle - or even bother to buy a ticket. We need someone the players will play for, and we need them while they still have time to make a difference. I have a lot of respect for Tony and want him to succeed, but Pompey FC has to come first.